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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: Education is ongoing for Hoffman

Editor’s note: During the next few weeks, The Post & Mail will be highlighting several graduates from Whitley County that were once deemed “Leaders of Tomorrow” in a 2007 special publication.COLUMBIA CITY — Adam Hoffman, a 2008 Columbia City High School graduate, was named a Leader of Tomorrow in 2007.Hoffman was one of 19 students recognized as future leaders. At the time, he was a junior and was in the beginning stages of his psychology education. Fast forward five years and Hoffman is now working on his Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “When I was in high school, I took A.P. (Advance Placement) Psychology with Kristin Rentschler,” Hoffman said. “She was so fantastic. I really loved her class.”It was in that psychology class that Hoffman decided to further his education in this particular field.“I know some people see psychology as a false science and wouldn’t take that field seriously, but I am thankful that my mom (Meredith Hoffman) let me explore this option,” Hoffman said.After graduating CCHS, Hoffman moved to Connecticut to study at Quinnipac University. Traveling outside of Indiana was something Hoffman wanted to do in order to broaden his educational experiences. The miles put between him and his hometown gave Hoffman a chance to be a part of some ground-breaking research and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. He even worked at a social lab at Yale University where he observed children.Now at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Hoffman is interested in studying the impact of racial and gender stereotypes on the development of academic trajectories of students and their identities.CCHS: the foundationHoffman is quick to credit his academic success to his roots at CCHS, and he sees the educational options offered at CCHS as “better than expected.”Hoffman recognized that CCHS carried its own stereotype because of its location and the age of the facility, but he believes that shouldn’t influence the educational experience.“Yes, CCHS may be limited by its building and maybe even its resources, but I hope students recognize that doesn’t have to be a limitation in their learning,” Hoffman said. For a more in-depth look at this story, see the Feb. 8 issue of The Post and Mail. Don't have a subscription? Call (260) 244-5153 or subscribe to our e-edition. For breaking news, sports updates and additional coverage, bookmark the homepage and find us on facebook.